A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus!

What's there not to love about blink-182's Mark Hoppus? He's hilarious. He makes good music. And he knows an awful lot about the ins and outs of the music world. So, CG was psyched to hear that starting next week, Mark is hosting his very own show on Fuse called A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus (Thursdays at 7 p.m. ET). Mark and his co-host, comedian Amy Schumer will chat about anything and everything that happened in the music world for the week while bringing on bands and artists that you need to know. CG was lucky enough to catch up with Mark so he could tell us all about what makes his show unique (lots of humor), how music has changed his life and who gets a big star like him, well, star struck!

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Cosmogirl: Why should wewatch A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus? What is your spin on the music industry?

Mark Hoppus: First of all, I think it'll be the first talk show devoted entirely to music. When Fuse first proposed the idea, I asked 'What do you want it be like?' They said 'Whatever you want...' And that's been their attitude the whole way through. They're cool, funny, creative people, and open to any and all ideas. Even before shooting the first episode, we've had a lot of fun talking about music and bands and ideas for each week. I think people will have a good time, hear some great interviews, some amazing live performances, and find out about new bands and artists along the way. Hopefully because I've been through it all in the music industry I can bring a fresh perspective to the hosting gig.

CG: Who are your dream guests?

MH: Ideally, each week, I'd like to have rad, intelligent, creative, funny guests with different takes on the world of music. I will ask them all what their favorite blink-182 song is, and what they like best about me as a person.

CG: Who gets you star struck in the music industry?

MH: Getting to meet other artists that I admire is one of the best parts of my job. I don't know if I'd say "star struck" as much as excited to hear other peoples' ideas. That being said, collaborating with Robert Smith on the last blink-182 album was definitely a dream come true. I grew up the biggest fan of the Cure. Knew every lyric, had every album, B-side, single, poster, everything. Then cut to fifteen years later and we're working on songs together. Ridiculous. So yeah, maybe star struck.

CG: What does music mean to you?

MH: Music is life. Music defines peoples' experience on this planet. Name one time in your life that wasn't punctuated by the music you listened to at the time. When people are down, they listen to music that commiserates that emotion. When people are amped up, they listen to more upbeat, loud songs. A Frank Sinatra album sets a certain mood, just as a Clash record sets another. Music is in every country and every culture around the world. It's universal. The process of introducing people to new music is amazing. It's a gift. One of the best parts of any day is when someone says, 'Hey, check out this new band...' I'm always asking friends what new music they're into, and I love showing people new talented artists. That's why I started the Hi, My Name is Mark podcasts back in the day, and Hopp on Pop in Spin [magazine]. I'm always trying to get the word out on new bands...

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CG: What's the first album that really impacted your life?

MH: Many albums have impacted my life, but I think the first time I heard a Descendents album changed things for me forever. The album was I Don't Want to Grow Up. Here is a band singing fast, melodic songs about life, relationships, the boredom of suburban youth, and food. I loved the energy, the mentality, the catchiness of the melodies. I was hooked immediately. I had to have all of their albums, and then needed more, which led me to seek other bands, expanding my world by leaps and bounds. The Descendents were the beginning of it all for me.

CG: Is there a song that whenever you hear it takes you back to a particular place or time in your life?

MH: Every time I hear the theme to 2001: A Space Odyssey, I think of the blink-182 tour where we started the show with that song. At the crescendo, the curtain dropped and the show began. A great tour.

CG: What was the first concert you ever saw and what was the last?

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MH: First concert I ever went to was They Might Be Giants at the old 9:30 Club in Washington DC in the late '80s. The last one was the concert we played two days ago in Italy.

CG: How many songs are in your iPod? And, is there anything totally shocking in there?

MH: Oh man. I don't even know. 10,000? Something like that? It's gotten to be too overwhelming, so now if there are songs from an album that I know I'll always skip, I delete them entirely. Life's too short to sit through songs you don't love. What would people be surprised by? I don't know. I don't really have any secret shames. If I like an artist, I like them. Nothing to feel embarrassed about. Maybe people would be surprised to know that I listen to old Neil Diamond albums from time to time. The man rocks. I defy anyone to prove me wrong.

CG: Do you have any music-related collections?

MH: Lately I've been getting back into collecting vinyl albums. The collectability of music is something lost in the age of MP3s and album downloads. Holding an album in your hands and having the full-sized artwork reconnects the artist and the listener. It used to be a major experience to find something new from a band you loved that you'd never seen before. A single only released in Japan, an old album that'd gone out of print. Now everything is available at the push of a button, and that thrill of the search is gone. With vinyl albums and special edition releases, I feel like that's coming back.

CG: How is it different when you go behind the scenes as a producer?

MH: Being a producer is a very different experience than writing my own songs. When I write with blink-182, it's all about self-expression. Writing music and lyrics that mean something personal to me. It's an exciting, intense, cathartic, this-is-who-I-am experience. As a producer, I'm an objective observer, helping a band form their ideas into a cohesive album. It's a step back from the intimacy of creation. I'm a guide, a mediator, a director, and a sounding board. I really enjoy helping a band form their sounds and ideas from initial spark to completed album. Being a producer is different in that, at the end of the day, it is not my art. It's THEIR art, THEIR ideas, THEIR message. I always respect that fact. If there's a disagreement in which way an idea should lead, I will stand up for my opinion, but there's a reason their name is large on the front of the album and mine is small on the back, so I will always give the band final say. Even when they're wrong.

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CG: What are some of your favorite moments with blink-182?

MH: On the last blink-182 North American tour, we headlined a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden. It was an amazing show, and in such an iconic venue. I remember walking offstage and outside to the buses, looking over to the Empire State Building, and thinking 'Wow, it doesn't get any better than this.' Also, a couple of weeks ago, we headlined the Reading Festival in England. Nearly 100,000 people were there, and I thought it was a great show. That was another one of those moments. Also, being on the Simpsons was incredible.

CG: What's a new band that you love and which band never gets old?

MH: Matt and Kim are an awesome new band. The Beatles never get old.

CG: What is your advice to kids out there that want to make music?

MH: Do it! Play music that means something to you. Make it happen for yourself. Too many bands practice in their garage, play a couple of shows locally, and expect opportunities to appear from the sky. Bands today have to push, work, grind, and struggle to make it happen on their own. Enjoy it.

Will you watch A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus? Tell us why you're excited to check it out in the comments section below!